Room cooling and heating apparatus



United States Patent [72] Inventor Chester M. Wilcox 5171 98th Ave., Pinellas Park, Florida 33565 [21] Appl. No. 757,574 [22] Filed Sept. 5, 1968 [45] Patented Dec. 1, 1970 [54] ROOM COOLING AND HEATING APPARATUS 12 Claims, 8 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 165/29, 165/55; 62/160 [51] Int. Cl F25b 29/00 [50] Field of Search 165/50, 22, 29, 54, 55, 146, 147; 62/160 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,183,509 12/1939 Smith 165/147 2,581,744 1/1952 Zimmerman 1. 62/160 2,708,569 5/1955 Boarman 165/55 2,756,970 7/1956 l-lermann..... 165/50 3,078,043 2/1963 Eichmann 165/50 3,367,132 2/1968 Elliott 165/55 Primary Examiner-Robert A. OLeary Assistant Examiner-Charles Sukalo Attorney-Rupert G. Minns ABSTRACT: Cooling and/or Heating air system, unobtrusively installed around perimeter of room, includes finned heat exchange tubing selectively connected in evaporator or condenser circuits of heat pump device or with auxiliary Freon (a product of du Pont) boiler for selectively cooling or heating room air in a manner which eliminates disturbing noises due to vapor release of refrigerant circulated through the tubing.

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477'02/VEY ROOM COOLING AND HEATING APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF INVENTION In the past, air-conditioning systems utilizing heat exchange finned tubing have been available, but these generally required installation of elaborate and expensive ducts and piping within or behind the walls of the rooms being air-conditioned, and further required provision of bulky, protruding units in the rooms, as well as noisy fans or air blowers for circulating the conditioned air. Systems utilizing substantial extent of finned heat exchange tubing, through which refrigerants are pumped, were objectionable because disturbing noises frequently accompanied vapor'release due to temperature changes.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION This invention relates to improvements in systems for selec= tively heating and/or cooling a room or rooms, and controlling the humidity therein. The system includes heat-exchange finned tubing, suitably mounted on walls or ceilings ofa room, for circulation therethrough of a suitable fluid capable of changing the temperature and/or humidity properties of air in a room.

The finned heat exchange tubing is constructed and arranged for selective actuation ofa mechanical heat pump, for use either in evaporator or condenser systems for coolingor heating purposes, respectively. In climates whereheating is required beyond the capacity ofthe mechanical heat pump, an auxiliary Freon boiler is connected into the heatingsystem by a simple valving operation.

An important feature of the invention is the provision of means in the apparatus to compensate volumetrically for vapor release due to temperature changes of the refrigerant in the finned tubing, which otherwise could cause annoying.

hissing or similar noises. Another important feature is the U- shaped condensate drip trough independently cradled below the tinned tubing in vertically adjustable support members. Said members are easily alined to produce anelevation gradient in the said drip trough for quick and constant drainage into an outlet duct for disposal. The relatively narrow longitudinal opening of the drip trough has its center disposed in a vertical plane with, and directly below, the longitudinal axis of the finned tubing unit. The small surface area of the condensate in the trough inhibits the absorption of moisture therefrom by the cool dry air descending by gravity through the finned tubing unit. The air, in moving past the inside surface of the valance and around the outside of the drip trough, completely eliminates all objectional condensate drip from the cooling apparatus. A further important feature is the valance which snaps onto independent brackets and forms a closure for the entire heat exchange unit. The shape and the position of the valance, with reference to the finned tubing and the drip trough, prevents condensate forming on either the inside or outside thereof. All members of the said unit are interchangeable to assemble either a ceiling or baseboard type of said apparatus.

Objects of the invention will be manifest from the following brief description and the accompanying drawings.

Of the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic piping diagram, partly broken away, illustrating room air-conditioning apparatus of the invention, including one or more loops of heat exchange finned tubing, as for separate ceiling and baseboard perimeter air-conditioning loops, connected to a heat pump which provides circulation, and an auxiliary Freon" boiler which may be connected into the heating system when required, known means for heating said 'boiler are not shown.

FIGS: 2 and 3 are fragmentary front elevations, partly broken away, of heat exchange finned tubing units, installed as valance and baseboard air-conditioning fixtures, around the wall of a room adjacent to the ceiling C and the floor F, thereof, respectively.

FIGS.-4-and Sare enlarged vertical cross sections of said valance-and baseboard air-conditioning units, taken substantially on the lines 4-4 and 5-5, of FIGS. 2 and 3, respectively,

FIGS. 6, 7,' and 8 are three cross sections corresponding to FIGS. 4=and 5, but on-a reduced scale, and illustrating differentapplications of the invention wherein a plurality of finned tubing loops are concealed in fluorescent lighting or like fixtures suspended from the ceiling of a room.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the improved air-conditioning system may compriseone or more looped units 10, 10

of heat'exchange finned tubing 11, which are supportedaround the perimeter of a room, or on the ceiling thereof, as will bedescribed in greater detail later. A heating and/or cooling medium'may be circulated through the looped finned tubing 11 by'operation of a heat pump mechanism, including a compressor lS, "Freon" boiler 13a, condensate pump 13b, when required. in certain multilevel installations, and heat exchanger coils 16 operating as a condenser.

When the apparatus is used for cooling, operation of compressor draws a gas refrigerant, such as Freon (a product of du Pont), through reversing valve 22 and intake pipe 14 into the compressor, and pumps it as a compressed gaseous refrigerant through output pipe 15 and reversing valve 22, through heat exchanger coils 16 operating as a condenser, and

through an expansionvalve (or capillary tubes) l7 and through'valves 220 into pipe 18 to control valves 20 at the inlet ends of the finned tube loops 11, in the direction indicated by small arrow R in FIG, 1. A fan 19 forces cooling air around the condenser coils 16 to remove therefrom latent heat given up by the compressed refrigerant vapor, thereby cooling and liquifying the refrigerant before it flows, as described above, to the inlet ends of the finned tube loops 11. As the refrigerant circulates through the tube loops 11, as a cooling medium, evaporation thereof is accompanied by ab sorption of heat by the finned tubing in known manner, with resultant cooling of room air constantly moving around the tubing and betweenthe tins of the same. When desirable, known heat recovery means may be employed to heat domestic water, or conventional air vector means can be used to dissipate waste heat in the place of condenser coils 16.

In order to maintain uniform temperature throughout the loop units l0'of finned tubing 11, and for other reasons to be described later, each loop unit may be formed to have a series of sections 1111, llb, and of progressively increasing diameters in thedirection of flow of refrigerant therethrough, generally as shown in the upper portion of FIG. 1. That is, thegradually increasing internal flow areas in these tubing'sections are calculated to control the rate of evaporation of the refrigerant, and thereby assure constant uniform absorption of heat thereby along the entire length of each respective loop unit 10. By so controlling the evaporation rate within the stepped tubing, a more uniform temperature is maintained in room being air-conditioned. Moreover, such controlled evaporation eliminates vigorous boiling of the refrigerant in all sections of the finned tubing, which in turn eliminates hissing or other objectionable nois'es experienced with use of prior art, perimeter type, air-conditioning systems.

For use of the apparatus described for heating a room, valves 22a and 22b are opened while valves 22c and 22d are closed, thus reversing the flow of the heat carrying fluid Freon" through finned loops ll. Condensate pump 13b forces the returning condensate into the Freon boiler or heat exchanger 13a. Heat may be supplied to the said boiler by known means, such as electric immersion units, oil, or gas burners, waste steam or exhaust gases from other equipment, to raise the temperature of the condensate to F, for example when No. 22 Freon is used. The Freon vapor will then be under pressure of approximately 382 pounds per sq. in. gauge, forcing it through open valves 22a and 20 into the finned heat exchange loops 11, which heats the room air passing around the tubing and between the tins of the same. Conversely, this causes the originallysaid heated fluid to be cooled and, therefore, liquified and returned to boiler 13a, as previously described. I

In mild weather, valves 22a and 22b can be closed and boiler 13a cut out of service. Valves 22c and 220' are then opened to place compressor 13, condenser coil 16, and fan 19, and expansion valve (or capillary tubes) 17 in the system after operating reversing valve 22. The returning liquified Freon is then forced through the expansion valve (or capillary tubes) 17 and permitted to vaporize within the heat exchange coil means 16, which for this purpose is connected to the suction side of compressor 13, and functions as the evaporator unit of the heat pump. The vaporizing refrigerant absorbs heat from air circulated over the heat exchange coil 16, by the fan 19, prior to induction of the gaseous refrigerant into the compressor 13.

The wire hangers 25 are easily adjustable, during or after original installation to produce requisite gradient in the tubing 11 supported thereby, by forming or reforming the hooked ends 25a, 25a, 25a to suit. Moreover, the flexible nature of the hangers 25 makes then self-adjusting to accommodate sub stantial changes in the lengths of the tubing cradled therein, due to a wide range of temperature changeswithin the finned copper tubing in use for both cooling and heating purposes. By I providing such V-shaped hangers 25, of fine, but strong spring-steel wire, for example, heat transfer between the tubing and the hangers is reduced to a minimum compared with use of other types of hangers.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 2 and 4 of the drawings, there is illustrated the manner in which a loop 10 of finned tubing 11 may be mounted on a wall W around the perimeter of a room, adjacent to the ceiling C thereof. To this end, the stepped tubing 11 may be cradled in rounded lower ends of a series of spaced V-shaped, spring-wire hangers 25, which are yieldingly releasably engaged with the ends of vent slot 26 in the top bracket 27 which is secured to wall W by suitable fastening means. A separate front panel 30, serving as a decorative valance, has inturned upper and lower portions 31 and 32, for yielding hooked engagement with an upturned forward extension 33 of top bracket 27 and a downwardly presented, V-shaped lower extension 34 of the back wall portion 29, of said bracket. The valance thereby forms a yieldingly removable cover for front access to the heat exchange apparatus.

The heat exchange fins 36, of the stepped tubing 11, may be thin metal'plates suitably affixed. in closely spaced relation along the tubing. To facilitate efficient gravitational removal of moisture from the plates 36, the same may have convergent lower edge portions terminating in a reduced rounded end 36a, from which moisture can fall directly into an elongated U-shaped trough 37, .which is provided with a drain conduit 38a for effective removal of all water collected in the trough. The trough 37 may be removably supported on a plurality of U-shaped brackets 38 vertically adjustably affixed to wall W. The trough 37 may be of suitable material, such as plastic resin, which is not subject to the corrosive effect of moisture collected therein.

FIGS. 3 and 5 are views corresponding to FIGS. 2 and 4, illustrating use of cover 30' therefor, similarly mounted on bracket 27 on wall W, but in inverted position, adjacent to the floor F of the room, to serve as a decorative baseboard-type air conditioner. In this case, the tubing hangers 25 are removably suspended by engagement thereof in apertured means 43, 43 in the now upwardly presented V-shaped bracket portion 34, and the trough 37 is supported by U- shaped brackets 38 adjustably affixed to wall W as explained above, under the finned tubing 10, as before. A metal backing plate 45, being the same length as cover 30, mounted between the brackets 29 and room wall W, serves as a baseboard, and may have a forward extension 46 serving as a hood to protect the wall W from being soiled by air moving upwardly when the apparatus is used for room heating.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are reduced scale cross sections, corresponding generally to the structures shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, but illustrating modification in the casing means for the stepped finned tubing 10, as for use as ceiling fixtures, in which fluorescent lighting tubes 47 are also incorporated. One or more loops 10 of stepped tubing 11 may be provided as before, depending upon the size of the room to be air-conditioned. FIG. 8 shows another modified form of ceiling or wall-type of air-conditioning apparatus, similar to that of FIG. 6, except that the lighting tubes are omitted. As related to FIGS. 1 to 5, like parts in FIGS. 6 to 8 are designated by like numerals, unless otherwise noted.

In the use of the apparatus generally described above, and

' particularly as described in connection with FIGS. 1 to 5, to

activate one or more of the finned tubing loops 10, the compressor 13 is operated to pump the refrigerant, as described above, through the stepped tubing 11. The aforesaid controlled evaporation of the refrigerant thereby causes constant absorption of heat along the entire length of the tubing 11 (see FIG. 1), without noises which otherwise would occur when the tubing is of uniform diameter. This constant absorption of heat by the tubing 11 from the quietly moving room air is correspondingly effective to maintain a room at uniformly cooled temperatures.

Reverse operation of the apparatus referred to reverses the direction of flow of Freon" in the room circuit for heating the room air, by quiet passage of the room air between the heat radiating fins 36. This causes the heated vapor in the finned tubing 11 to be cooled and liquified. The cool conden sate is then returned, through expansion valve (or capillary tubes) 17, through the heat exchange coil means 16 and compressor 13, to repeat the cycle through the finned tubing loop or loops 10.

In other words, when the heat pump apparatus is operated to pump refrigerant in the direction of the arrows R in FIG. I for air-cooling purposes, the refrigerant is a gas, and cooling air blown through the condenser 16 removes latent heat from the gas to change it from a vapor to a liquid. On the other hand, when the heat pump is operated reversely of the direction of said arrows R, heated Freon is pumped through the finned tubing to radiate heat therethrough to heat the room air, thereby cooling the Freon. The resultant cooled, liquified Freon, in passing through condenser coil 16, now functioning as a heating coil, is heated by air circulated over the said coil.

It is to be understood that the number and extent of flowarea increasing, stepped sections 11a, 11b, and 11c required can be accurately calculated to suit each particular installation of finned tubing, and the number of loops 10 required. It has been found, for example, that in a loop having a cooling load equaling approximately3 tons (of ice melted in a 24-hour period), the loop may have an optimum length of approximately feet with section 11a having an inside diameter of three-eighths inch and a length of 32 feet, section 11b having an inside diameter of one-half inch and a length of 72 feet, and section 11c having an inside diameter of three-fourths inch and a length of 76 feet. In a finned tubing 10 having a larger load, of 4 tons for example, the section He could be lengthened to I36 feet, bringing the loop to a total of 240 feet in length.

It has been found that by limiting each loop to 3 or 3%tons, and by providing additional branches or parallel loops as necessary, the efficiency of the system can be maintained at a high level. In some circumstances, it may be desirable to have parallel loops within a single heat exchanger assembly. This is readily accomplished by suspending separate, additional finned tubing loops l0, side-by-side.

Other modifications of the invention may be resorted to without departing from the spirit thereof, or the scope of the appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. Room air-conditioning apparatus, comprising: at least one loop of heat-exchange tubing; a heat pump means for circulating compressed heat-conditioning fluid through said at least one loop; a condenser for removing latent heat absorbed by the fluid from the room air, and through said tubing; and means selectively operable for reversing the circulation of said fluid in heated condition through said at least one loop to radiate heat exteriorly through said tubing to heat the room air exposed to the tubing, said condenser including means for heating the same, to heat said fluid, said at least one loop being stepped tubing providing a series of tube sections of progressively increasing internal flow areas in the direction of flow of'said heat-conditioning fluid for room air-cooling purposes, and thereby controlling the rate of evaporation of the fluid in the tube section with resultant substantially uniform absorption of heat thereby throughout the loop, said heatexchange tubing having heat-gathering fin means, and means being provided for retrieving moisture deposited on said fin means when the apparatus is used for room air cooling; said heat-conditioning fluid being a refrigerant.

2. Room air-conditioning apparatus, comprising: at least one loop of heat-exchange tubing; heat pump means for circulating compressed heat-conditioning fluid through said at least one loop; a condenser for removing latent heat absorbed by the fluid from the room air, and through said tubing; selectively operable means for heating said heat conditioning fluid; and means selectively operable for reversing the circulation of said fluid in heated condition through said at least one loop to radiate heat exteriorly through said tubing to heat the room air exposed to the tubing, said at least one loop being stepped tubing providing a series of tube sections of progressively increasing internal flow areas in the direction of flow of said heatconditioning fluid for room air-cooling purposes, and thereby controlling the rate of evaporation of the fluid in the tube sections with resultant substantially uniform absorption of heat thereby throughout the loop; said heat-exchange tubing having heat-gathering fin means, and means being provided for retrieving moisture deposited on said fin means when the apparatus is used for room air-cooling.

3. Apparatus as in claim 2, said heat-conditioning fluid dinal axis of the said heat exchange tubing.

5. Apparatus as in claim 4, said moisture retrieving means being independently supported in the descending flow of cool, dry air from the heat exchange finned tubing.

6. Apparatus as in claim 2, said heat-exchange tubing being in the form of a plurality of loops thereof arranged in spaced apart relationship to each other.

7. Apparatus as in claim 6, said plurality of loops being arranged peripherally along the walls of the room at different levels.

8. Apparatus as in claim 7, said heat-exchange tubing having spaced heat-gathering fin portions thereon and means being provided for retrieving moisture deposited thereon in use of the apparatus for room air-cooling purposes.

9. Apparatus as in claim 2, said heat-exchange tubing having spaced heat-gathering fin portions thereon and means being provided for retrieving moisture deposited thereon in use of the apparatus for room air-cooling purposes, said heatexchange tubing being in the form of a plurality of loops thereof arranged in spaced apart relationship.

10. Apparatus as in claim 2, said at least one loop being arranged peripherally along the walls of the room or on the ceiling thereof.

11. Apparatus as in claim 1, including casing means for containing said at least one loop of said tubing and including a removable paneling on the casing means for access to said tubing, means for supporting said casing along a wall of a room, means for releasably supporting said tubing within the casing, means removably supported in said casing below said tubing for retrieving moisture therefrom.

12. Apparatus as in claim 1, including a casing means containing said tubing, a plurality of bracket members longitudinally spaced and adjustably affixed to the room wall to support said casing, slotted openings in said brackets to receive the formed ends of V-shaped hangers of elongated, springy material yieldingly engaged therein, thus forming downwardly presented hangers for the tubing cradled therein. 

